Should You Have Leverage Over Your Clients?

Terry Real on Why Male Grandiosity Necessitates Leverage

The idea of having leverage over a client in therapy seems like an unusual—and borderline unethical—practice. But according to relationship expert Terry Real, it's often necessary when working with male clients.

Before getting into the concept of leverage and why it's important, it's first necessary to understand grandiosity, why so many men display it when they come in for treatment, and why it makes it essential for the therapist to have something the client wants.

In a clip from one of our Networker Webcast series, 2014 Symposium presenter Terry talks about grandiosity and the destructive behaviors it leads to, thus making leverage a part of the therapeutic process.

)

Terry Real, LICSW, founded the Relational Life Institute and is Good Morning, America’s relationship expert. His books include The New Rules of Marriage: What You Need to Make Love Work and the bestseller I Don’t Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression.